Police attack anti-fascist mobilization in Greece
Images via the KKE
Recently, various efforts have been made to reorganize the far-right, nationalist political space in Greece, utilizing the release from prison of a prominent Nazi criminal and former leading cadre of the fascist organization “Golden Dawn.” On 28 October, a national holiday in Greece commemorating the popular resistance to fascist Italy’s invasion of Greece in 1940, this Nazi planned to hold a rally in a hotel in the centre of Thessaloniki.
In order to express their opposition to this development, workers' unions and mass organizations in Thessaloniki planned an anti-fascist rally, which the police banned. When faced with protesters' determination to march towards the hotel where the fascist rally was due to take place, the police launched an unprovoked attack on them using tear gas, stun grenades and batons. They also violently detained two protesters.
Undeterred by the wave of repression and intimidation, the protesters continued to demonstrate, chanting anti-fascist slogans and making it clear that they will not be intimidated and that the Nazis, who are the “offspring” of the capitalist system and not the “anti-establishment” figures they like to portray themselves as, are unwelcome in Thessaloniki. They made it clear that they would not tolerate any space or platform being given to Nazi murderers, who are the system's long arm and the capitalists' lackeys against the labor movement. Representatives of the unions and other organizations condemned both the fascist rally and the escalation of police violence ordered by the government, and demanded the release of their colleagues who had been detained.
KKE: The government confirms that its policy of involvement in the war goes hand in hand with the action of fascist groups backed by the state
In a statement, the Press Office of the Central Committee of the KKE notes the following: “The appalling and unacceptable stance of the New Democracy government in banning the mobilization and then launching a brutal and unprovoked attack, using riot police and tear gas, with the aim of dispersing the anti-fascist rally of labor unions against the fascist gathering of the convicted Nazi criminal Kasidiaris in Thessaloniki amounts, at the very least, to tolerance - if not outright support - of his fascist actions. And all this on 28October, the eve of the anniversary of Thessaloniki’s liberation by the Greek Liberation Army (ELAS), which fought hand-to-hand with the Nazi occupiers!
The New Democracy government, with its stance today, confirms that its policy of military involvement and war preparation, which it actively pursues, goes hand in hand with the actions of various fascist groups operating with state support. They are deeply mistaken. The labor movement has the power and can send the fascists back to their holes. This was demonstrated again today when the workers defiedthe government’s bans, which were intended to protect the Nazi criminal.
We demand the immediate release of the two detainees. Thanasis Pafilis, spokesperson of the KKE parliamentary group, has contacted the Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis, regarding this matter.”
Those detained have been released
While the large anti-fascist demonstration was underway, lawyers and union members gathered at the General Police Directorate of Thessaloniki to express their solidarity with those detained and demand their immediate release, as well as demanding that one of the two protesters—who had been injured in the attack—be examined immediately by a doctor.
Amid public outcry and immediate intervention, the police limited themselves to verifying identities, without making any arrests or filing charges against those detained.
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